


Go With What You Know

by mirrorless



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluffy Things in Peril, Gen, Humor, Insecurity, literal fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 07:22:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6695161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirrorless/pseuds/mirrorless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It will be a shameful death, without doubt, but he will not disgrace himself further.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Go With What You Know

There is no team meeting scheduled for today, though Kagami dutifully awakens early anyway to groggily head off to train in one of the designated areas of the village.

A pair of elderly Uchiha, sisters if he recalls correctly, who rise before the sun itself hiss whispers to each other as he passes their porch.

"-Senju!"

"Disgraceful! If Lord Tajima could see-"

"-kill the child, mark my words!"

Kagami does not know if the women mean for their conversation to carry, but it hardly helps lessen the heaviness that has taken residence in his chest for over a week now.

As he swiftly follows a path that has become routine towards the training grounds, Kagami's thoughts turn once again to recent events.

He still cannot quite get his head around the fact that _Senju Tobirama_ is now in charge of his shinobi training.

To have to refer to this man, a mainstay of nightmarish tales circulated amongst Uchiha children, as his _sensei_ still seems absurd.

The Senju himself must think so as well, if his constant scowling at the young Uchiha is any indication. Though he scowls at the other members of the cell too... it might be the man's default facial expression.

Kagami slows upon reaching his destination, careful to avoid any non-Uchiha that might be training at this hour.

Though the clans that make up the new village may have stopped warring with each other outright, the atmosphere is still often tense, with most families generally keeping to themselves.

Kagami is certain his assignment to the Senju's squad is some misplaced effort to show that rival clans can form new bonds and work together for the good of the the village.

A lovely thought, but- Kagami thinks of pitiless red eyes boring down on him as though he were a mess left on a public road by an Inuzuka's ninken.

It would reflect badly on the Senju Clan should the man simply refuse to teach Kagami, or dismiss him without cause, but there can be no doubt that the young shinobi's presence on the team is unwelcome.

Therefore, the heavy, unshakeable truth that Kagami holds within, that has put him off his meals and deprived him of restful sleep, is that he is certain the old ladies are right.

Senju Tobirama will be the death of him.

 

The forest surrounding Konohagakure is calm, quiet save for the sounds of nature.

A moment of pure freedom, of peace, and Kagami will soak it in like rain upon parched earth.

The sun is high in the sky now, and his body is pleasantly sore from his early training session.

He leans back against a broad trunk, shaded entirely by the tree's dense foliage and closes his eyes.

A mid-morning nap sounds wonderful.

 

He's almost nodded off when he hears rapid footfalls headed in his direction, accompanied by what sounds oddly like gasps of triumphant laughter.

Kagami has just enough time to put his fingers to the kunai hidden in his sleeve when Sarutobi Hiruzen crashes through nearby underbrush, clutching what appears to be a large fluffy cat in his arms.

Kagami's hand remains on his weapon.

The Sarutobi boy, wild brown hair pointing in all directions and his clothing and white bundle littered with bits of leaves and twigs, jerks to a surprised halt when he sees Kagami before his sweaty face lights up with mischievous good humor.

"Catch!" He calls before tossing his burden at his Uchiha teammate and sprinting, cackling, deeper into the forest.

Kagami does _not_ catch, because his brain has just realized that Hiruzen had not been lugging a disgruntled animal through the woods, but instead the unmistakeable white fur collar belonging to-

It lands squarely on his head, as Kagami is suddenly too terrified to move.

-Senju Tobirama.

As if summoned by the boy's horrified thought, the man steps out from behind a tree and, scowl firmly in place, approaches the young Uchiha.

 

Until recently, a Senju delivering death to an Uchiha (or indeed the opposite) was not an uncommon occurrence.

Kagami thinks the reason for the enemy dispatching him from the living world may be the most ridiculous in either clan's history, though.

How can he face his parents, his ancestors, most of whom had probably died valiantly in battle, and say that _he_ was struck down by his vengeful _Senju_ master only because Kagami had been the unwitting scapegoat for the crime of stealing the man's (ridiculously soft) dense fluffy fur collar?

It will be a shameful death, without doubt, but he will not disgrace himself further.

He will not cry, though his guts roil with fear and his treacherous eyes prickle; he will not attempt to splutter an explanation and beg mercy of the Senju- it's certain that even if the man knows the truth, none will be forthcoming.

Hiruzen is favored of both Tobirama-sensei and his elder brother, the Lord Hokage; his father is their comrade and solid ally.

Kagami is without immediate family and has yet to awaken the Sharingan. His loss will have little effect on the village or clan, aside from having one less orphan to begrudgingly provide for.

Tobirama-sensei will be able to explain away his death easily enough; training accidents happen all the time, and the boy _had_ been a sub-par student, hadn't he?

Dimly, the young Uchiha recalls the weapon at his fingertips. Even if he could summon the will to wield it, what purpose would it serve other than to further enrage the notorious Senju? The notion that he could hope to defend himself against such an opponent is beyond absurd.

The man looms closer, calloused hand shooting out toward his face and Kagami is incapable of further thought.

Senju Tobirama plucks his purloined collar from his Uchiha student's head and casually slings it over his black-clad shoulder with the slightest huff of irritation.

One stern silver eyebrow raises at the boy, who remains statue-still in his place beneath the tree, excepting the full-body trembling.

The elder shinobi's posture softens slightly, and some miniscule bit of emotion that could not possibly be contrition flickers across his face and is gone.

Hesitantly, the same hand reaches again for Kagami.

The boy swallows hard, and it sounds like an explosion in his ears. His master's hand lands lightly on his head, tentatively mussing already rebellious dark curls before pulling away a bare instant later.

The Senju stares down at him for an awkward moment before nodding slightly at Kagami and striding away in the direction Hiruzen had fled.

 

The world slowly bleeds back into existence.

Birdsong fills the air, a gentle breeze ruffles his clothing and the lush grass is cool under his shaking hands when they finally relax enough to find the earth.

Kagami takes in and releases several deep breaths, trying to soothe his body and supremely confused mind.

He can understand, perhaps, Tobirama-sensei's somewhat surprising lack of wrath. A seasoned shinobi striking down a brat over a harmless prank might be a bit excessive, even for a Senju.

What he doesn't understand is this: the man cannot possibly desire an Uchiha as his disciple, and there would be no better opportunity to dismiss Kagami from his cell than to ignore the boy's innocence in this matter and decry him as a disrespectful student, a petty thief.

Running a hand through his hair (that a _Senju_ hand had _tousled_ ), Kagami sighs dramatically and flops over into the grass, frowning up at softly swaying leaves.

For most of his young life, things had been brutal, but simple. Uchiha alone could be trusted- everyone else was a person to be wary of at best, and only the terminally foolish would try to make a comrade of anyone from an opposing clan.

This new reality is often tense and confusing, but... Kagami tires of being suspicious of anyone not bearing the Uchiha fan.

Perhaps Tobirama-sensei shares a similar weariness.

A high-pitched squeal pierces the air, causing Kagami to bolt upright and several nearby birds to take flight.

Hiruzen, it seemed, had not escaped justice after all.


End file.
